Adjustable supporting means



March 18, 194-1- w. s. SAUNDERS ETAL ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING MEANS filed May 31, 1952 FIG.8

INVENTORS WALTER SSAUNDERS THOMAS A.MCGREG R t 7 ORNE 5 Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES *iP-ATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLESUPPORTING MEANS tion ofMichigan Application May 31, 1938, Serial No. 210,942

8 Claims.

This invention relates to'adjusta'ble' supporting means, particularly for -'vehlcle 'seats,"and aims to provide'animproved and simplified supporting construction of thischaracter, which effects'simultaneous adjustm'ent'of the height and longitudinal positioning of the seat. "An important object of the invention is to pr'ovide such a construction which is of extremely'sim'ple and inexpensive nature, which is easily releasable and movable yet firmly holds-the seat against all lost motion, play and rattling when lockedinany set position.

A further object is to-provide in"such"a supporting mechanism means for counterbalancing the load to a desiredextent, whereby-adjustment is rendered easier and the parts are held against rattling.

Another object is to provide such a mechanism having unitary locking and cro'ss 'connecting means for securing both-ends of the seat inany set position by independent holding portions which are nevertheless connected to operate as a unit under the control of a single operating handle.

Other objects and advantages will be'apparent from the following description wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention and whereinsimilar reference-numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of aseatsupporting assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention, indicating in dotted lines the position occupied by a seatcarried thereby.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view'of the assembly viewed from the end carrying the lockoperating handle.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the corner of the assembly carrying the operating handle, showing one of the locking assemblies.

Figure 4 is a vertical and substantially-central section through the locking portion at 'said' end of the assembly.

Figure 5 is a plan view-of-the'dogging or lock plate.

Figure 6 is a plan view of for the dogging plate;"and

;Figure"'l is aiplan viw' of the sheet metal spring retainer.

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3. Referring now to the drawing, the opposite ends of the seat will be seen to be carried by longitudinally disposed angular rails Ill, IDA, swingabl'y supported upon parallelogram-type the operating cam linkage. The front links are designated |2l2A, and-the rear links l4--|4A, these being pivotally attachedat their lower ends to floor rails I5 I5A, fastened to the floor or other support. The links are 'normally inclined rearwardly, so that forward movement of theseat' also causes it to rise, and vice versa.

-Tension"springs-l'l-llA extend angularly between the floorand seat rails, tending to draw the seat forwardly and upwardly, and so to coun-J 1 terbalance the load to a desired extent. A torque rod or tube l8 connects the rear links'and acts to' force theopposite ends of the seat to move simultaneously'and uniformly. Short-pins as l3 connect the links to the railsat-allpoin'ts of ar-;" \ticulation "except at the upper ends of the front links, which are pivotally connected to the seat rails by hollow bushings 20. These are rotatable. independently of the'links and seat'rails, and

the-two bushings at the opposite ends of the seat" are connected by a rod 22 which forces them to turn together, being secured thereto by pins 2|.

The rod 22 projects through and from the outside of one of the-assemblies, and is bent upwardly to form a handle 25 by which it may be turned. A portion of the rod adjacent and inside eachlink isprovided with radially projecting flutes 23,-which may be integrally pressed from the body thereof to serve as keys. A cam disc 21 is fitted upon each such keyed portion of the rod to turn therewith, lying against the inside of the link l2. Each cam is engageable with and shaped to actuate a looking or dogging plate 30, carried by the inside of each seat rail and movable toward and from thesame. Each dog- ,Lging'plate is slidably mounted upon studs 32 proijecting from the inner face of the rail. The central. opening in the plate through which the rod :projects isprovided with slots for the keying ribs 23. Such slots are wide enough to allow the ribs, 7 and therefore the rod, to turn independently of the dogging plateto a desired extent, although limiting its rotating movement. A spring 35 trapped between the dogging plate and a spring retainer 36 pinned or otherwise held in place On the rod, urges each dogging plate inwardly against its camand'link.

A pluralityof projections' 38, spaced on a cir- .ele -'concentric with the axis 0f rod 22 and projecting from one face of each of the dogging plates, are engageable with similarly spaced and disposed depressions 39 in the adjacent face of the link. When the projections and depressions are interengaged, the links are held against turning and the position of the seat rails with respect It will be appreciated that the two similar but oppositely acting assemblies at the opposite endsof the seat, being actuable by the same rod 22; are simultaneously releasable yet provide similar independent locking means for each end of the seat.

What we claim is:

1. Means for adjustably supporting a seat the like-including, a pair of links, of substantially thesame length, spaced from each other-and supported at their lower ,ends tofswing in parallel relation about the same extended axis;.frame portions pivotally connected to lthe upper ,ends

of said links, e mieans pivotally connecting the upper end of each of said links to the frame-portion, including across-connecting member;fextending coaxially'through jthe pointsuof pivotal connection of said links and frame-portions and rotatable,independently thereof, and separate latching means, releasably securing each-of :said links against rotation withlrespect'to; theframe portion to which it "isconnected, bothof said latching meansbeing operatively connected to and actuable by rotation of said. cross-connecting'member. v Means as set forth'iniclaim 1 -in-which each of said 1 pivotaL, connecting means comprises a hollow sleeve, and saidacross-connecting.-member comprises a rod journaled in and extending through both of 'said sleeves,-and.= said-latching means includes a dogging elementl movable to and froman interlocked position in which. it holds each link against -movemlent with respect 1 tothe frame portion to which it'isconnecte'd, and cam means for actuating each dogging element in response to rotation ofsaid-sired, the cam means being interposed between the link and dogging element. n

3.'Means for adjustably supporting a'seat orthe like comprising in combination with a suitable-support'and apair of links of substantially equal length articulated at one endthereto" in spaced parallel .and substantially. coaxialrelation, a frame pivoted-to the outer end of each of said" links, and latching. means for .releasably holding said linksagainst swinging movement, including a rod member extending through and between corresponding points of pivotal, connection of said links, a :dogging memberv comprising a plate adjacent each-link; an d-fram)e assembly and movable toward and from such assembly,

the rod being ,rotatable independently. of the links, and'cam means actuable; by the rod; for actuating the doggingmembers 4. Means as set forth in claimB in which said rod forms at least a part of the pivot-means articulating said ,links and ,frame, .said dogging plates being held against rotation with respect to the frame and movable into and out of gripping engagement with the links, spring means urging said dogging plates into such gripping relation, and cam means operable by independent rotation of the rod to simultaneously move said plates out of such gripping engagement.

5.;Means asset forth'in' claim 3 inwhich said rod forms at least apart of the pivot means articulating said links and frame, said dogging plates being held against rotation with respect .to the frame and movable into and out of gripp'ingengagemen't with the links, spring means urging said dogging plates into such gripping relation, cam means operable by independent rotatio'nof' therod to simultaneously move said plate outof such gripping engagement, said dogging plates encircling said rod, and said cam portionsfor actuating the same being carried by the rod.

. Means as setforth in ;claim 3 in which said rodjorms ati least apart-of the pivot means articulating ,said linksiand frame said dogging plates being held against, rotation with respect to thegframieand movableinto and out of gripping engagement with thelinks, spring means urging ,said dogging ,plates, into such gripping relation, ,cam means operable by.independent rotation of thelrod. to simultaneously move, said plate out of such, gripping engagement; said dogging plates encircling said rod, and said cam portions for actuating the same being carried by the rod, and

. interengageable abutment, portions carried by Said doggingdplates andlinks andv concentrically 'spacedabout the ,axis of said rod. I

7. Adjustable supporting means comprising a pair of links of substantially the same length,

.spacedifromeachother and supported toswing parallel relation about thesame extended axis, frame portions. pivotally connected .to the outer ends of said-links; and adapted to support a seat .or the. likega rod: extending across the space between said links andithrough the axis ofcpivotal connection of each link and the framepor- -tion towhich itis. ,connected,-a dogging element straddling said rod adjacent each of said links and on the;opposite sidethereof. from theframe portiongto whichqsuch'link is connected, each dogging elemlent being= keyed to such frame portion against, rotation with respectthereto, eachdog-' ging element being axially movable to andfrom .interlocked engagement With-{the adjacent link, -thereby1selectively preventing: or permitting swinging movement of the link with. relation to 'the framemortion, means. for turning the rod,

and means, actuableby rotation of said rod for simultaneously moying =said= dogging. elements to and from such interlocked engagement with said 8, -;Means asset forthdn claim 7 in whichsaidv last named meansicomprises a cam portion carriedby'said rod;adjaeent.each of said dogging elements and between such dogging element and the link, and spring means also'carried by the rod and;urging.saidi dogging elements into such interlocked engagement with the adjacent link.

WALTER s. SAUNDERS. THOMAS A. MCGREGOR. 

